This invention relates in general to a ventilator, and, in particular, to a ducted ventilator. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to a ducted ventilating device having changeable lighting elements, and incorporates a vaneless diffuser fan which is the subject of the present inventor's co-pending application, Ser. No. 057559, entitled "Mixed Flow Fan with Rotating Vaneless Diffuser", filed concurrently herewith now U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,330.
Recreation rooms and cooking areas generally are well illuminated and well ventilated. It is a common practice to install hoods in the vicinity of and generally directly over cooking ranges. In addition, many kitchens have ventilating fans which serve to exhaust air from the kitchen and to draw fresh air therein from other parts of the building. In many instances, it is also desirable to illuminate and ventilate enclosed areas such as bathrooms and closets. For example, many bathrooms and powder rooms have ceiling mounted blowers or fan units, which are vented to the roof to remove steam and provide fresh air circulation.
Examples of techniques used to treat or purify room air include air freshening devices which sublimate and release pleasant odors into the air. A modification of this concept is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,451, issued to Tringali, wherein a battery operated unit incorporates a fan for inducing flow past a vaporizing air freshening product. However, this invention does not address the dual problem of lighting the same area, nor does it provide for the venting of exhausted air from the room in which it is installed. Conversely, U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,303 granted to Hetherington discloses a florescent light fixture which may be installed into any conventional threaded socket and additionally provides a flat mounting surface. However, there is no provision in this disclosure for ventilating, exhausting, or circulating the surrounding air.
With the advent of more modern building codes, the requirement for external venting of fans, blowers, and the like in certain locations has been eliminated. A ductless air treating device having changeable air treating and lighting elements which is the subject of the present inventor's co-pending application, Ser. No. 057,559, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,330 entitled "Ductless Air Treating Device with Illuminator" addresses the problem of providing a ductless air treating unit which will satisfy these codes. However, many applications continue to exist where it is desirable to externally exhaust the air present in a given area continuously while simultaneously drawing in fresh air. This invention addresses these multiple problems by combining the lighting, ventilating, and air treating features normally found in separate units into a simple, versatile, readily installable single unit.
The ducted ventilator unit disclosed herein offers several economic advantages. First, it is generally less expensive to provide a single ventilator and air circulating unit which performs all of the multiple functions mentioned above than it is to provide separate units performing the functions individually. A second economic advantage is realized by eliminating the costs of electrical wiring for multiple separate units. For example, the device may be installed in any existing electrical junction box, or, alternatively, it may be screwed into any standard threaded electrical socket. Thirdly, the lighting and other internal elements of the present invention are cooled by the air passing therethrough, which extends the functional lifetime of these elements. This cooling feature is particularly significant because present Underwriter Laboratory standards require that the temperature within the terminal junction box of such units be maintained at less than 60.degree. C. It is well known to those skilled in the art that an enclosed lighting unit containing two standard incandescent bulbs will not pass this test. This invention brings the temperature within the air treating device within acceptable standards.
A second advantageous feature of this unit is its elimination of a condition known as stratification. Normally, the cooler air is near the floor while the hotter air is stratified near the ceiling of the room. The ventilating and air treating device, if ceiling mounted, recirculates the air within the room by drawing the colder air from the floor toward the ceiling. The result is a more even distribution of the heat therebetween. A reduction in the energy required to heat the room in the winter and to cool it in the summer is realized, which is translated into a monetary savings to the user.
Another problem overcome by this invention involves the theft of this type of unit from the job site during building construction. This problem is solved by providing only a mounting plate, which is unlikely to be stolen. After the building is completed and securely enclosed, the contractor may then mount the individual units to the mounting plate or, alternatively, to standard light sockets without fear of pilferage.
It is sometimes desirable to selectively operate either the ventilating fan, the light, or both simultaneously. By installing a ventilating device in a room and by running the circulating fan periodically, the freshness of air in the room and its contents may be maintained. Moreover, the unit provides for selective activation of a light as needed. The selective operation of the fan or the light is attained by the provision of a mounting plate having either a dual plug-type receptacle or a split electrical socket adapted to receive a corresponding split electrical contact which is fitted to the ventilating and air treating unit. The elements of the split electrical socket are the subject of the present inventor's co-pending application Ser. No. 057,559, entitled "Split Socket Assembly" filed concurrently herewith.
The mounting plates also function to isolate heat generated by the device from the adjacent mounting surface. By forming the plates from a thermally non-conductive material, for example, porcelain, heat from the unit is retained in the vicinity of the vaneless diffuser fan which exhausts it through the exhaust duct. This feature is important in light of the recent trend of homeowners toward adding large quantities of insulating material to their walls and ceilings. The insulating material may cause excessive heat buildup in the vicinity of electrical junction boxes or devices and create a fire hazard. The mounting plates disclosed herein eliminate this problem.